What is a Yankee Bet? Everything you need to know

Betting websites are full of different ways to place bets on numerous different sports and events across the sportsbook.

Amongst those, the Yankee bet is one of the more unheard of types of wagers, and sometimes even feel hidden or too complicated to try.

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However, this type of bet can be a viable and smart option to take, requiring multiple correct selections to win.

In this piece, we will explain everything you need to know about the Yankee bet, from what it is, to the pros and cons, and how to place one.

Yankee Bet Explained

Originating from an American soldier, who was believed to have placed a small bet in the UK and won a great profit thanks to the multiple roll-over mechanics, the Yankee bet is a form of an accumulator. To put it simply, it is a bet that includes a number of smaller wagers known as legs.

A Yankee Bet is a wager that includes 11 bets involving four selections, which is broken down into: six doubles, four trebles and a four-fold accumulator.

It has become a popular choice with experienced bettors, and is often used in horse racing and football, with punters often using these bets during big meets such as Ascot and Cheltenham. It is seen as one of the more advanced and complicated options that is offered on betting sites.

How Does a Yankee Bet Work?

A Yankee bet works when a punter makes four selections on a betting app or a desktop website, then creates differing combinations to craft 11 individual bets.

Using this style of bet will create six double bets, four treble bets and one four-fold bet.

This is used to include all possible outcomes of a four-leg ticket, and betting on 11 different results, with the idea of widening the profit available, with a win on each event returning profits on all 11 different outcomes.

It differs from an accumulator as each of the 11 bets operates on its own, meaning that one selection losing means that other combinations could still come in.

However, it is important to wager the same amount on the different legs, meaning that if you place a £1 stake on one leg, you must do the same on the other 10, making the overall stake £11.

Let’s take a look at an example of a Yankee Bet to really get to understand it...

Yankee Bet Example

A Yankee bet is made up of 11 bets from four different selections, with the bet comprising of six doubles, four trebles and one four-fold.

Let’s apply this to a football bet to see how it works in practice:

Chelsea will beat West Ham United

Aston Villa will beat Tottenham Hotspur

Manchester City will beat Brighton and Hove Albion

Arsenal will beat Manchester United

As part of the Yankee bet, the following bets are made:

Six double bets

Chelsea will beat West Ham United and Aston Villa will beat Tottenham Hotspur.

Chelsea will beat West Ham United and Manchester City will beat Brighton and Hove Albion

Chelsea will beat West Ham United and Arsenal will beat Manchester United

Aston Villa will beat Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City will beat Brighton and Hove Albion

Aston Villa will beat Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal will beat Manchester United

Manchester City will beat Brighton and Hove Albion and Arsenal will beat Manchester United

Four treble bets

Chelsea will beat West Ham United, Aston Villa will beat Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City will beat Brighton and Hove Albion

Chelsea will beat West Ham United, Aston Villa will beat Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal will beat Manchester United

Chelsea will beat West Ham United, Manchester City will beat Brighton and Hove Albion and Arsenal will beat Manchester United

Aston Villa will beat Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City will beat Brighton and Hove Albion and Arsenal will beat Manchester United

One four-fold accumulator

Chelsea will beat West Ham United, Aston Villa will beat Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City will beat Brighton and Hove Albion and Arsenal will beat Manchester United.

The return the bet makes would depend on which selections were successful, as some are less likely than others. For example, it is less probable for the four-fold to come in, therefore if it was to be successful, the return would be higher. So, if Chelsea, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Arsenal all won, you would see a higher return then you would if just Aston Villa and Manchester City won.

It is vital that the bettor keeps in mind that a Yankee Bet costs more than a traditional bet, as pretty much any stake you place on one leg must be multiplied by 11, meaning £1 = £11, £2 = £22 etc.

Yankee bets are available in multiple different sports, but are most common in football, horse racing and greyhound racing.

It is important to note that you cannot place this type of bet on one single event, meaning you must select from four different events.

READ: Sports betting odds explained

You can also place this type of bet across different sports, for example, you can place two bets on greyhound racing and two on football, as long as they are different events. It is most common in horse racing but can just as easily be used elsewhere.

There are multiple available Yankee bet calculators that enable you to make sure that your selections are profitable and help you work out your returns. You can find these through any search engine and are even provided by big betting operators such as Paddy Power.

It is important to use a calculator, you can ensure profitability or at least getting your original stake back, even if you do not end up with four successful selections.

Why Choose A Yankee Bet?

A Yankee bet is not the only type of bet that features combinations of singles, doubles and trebles, with bets like Heinz, Lucky 15s and Canadians available on both established and new betting sites.

The Yankee is most similar to the Lucky 15, although the latter features singles and the former does not.

A Yankee bet features fewer bets than its similar counterparts, and therefore may suit those with a smaller budget, with it being more accessible to a lesser-experienced punter.

The biggest advantage that a Yankee bet possesses is the potential for profit on your original stake, as even if two of your selections lose, you can still gain a return. It offers a greater flexibility to a traditional accumulator, which requires all of your bets to win.

One of the most common bets placed is a weekly football accumulator, which many punters place across the UK on a Saturday. The biggest pitfall of this bet is it only takes one shock defeat and the whole thing comes crashing down.

The difference between that and a Yankee bet, is there is some insurance when it comes to potential returns, as even if one fails, there are three other combinations that may come in.

It is advised for anyone placing a Yankee bet for the first time to use an online calculator, as you are able to ensure that you have the best chance to make a successful return.

Yankee Bet Pros and Cons

Like any style of bet, there are positives and negatives to choosing this option, and the Yankee bet is no different. Let’s look at the pros and cons of the Yankee bet.

Pros

Versatility: A Yankee bet allows for plenty of versatility and allows you four different outcomes from 11 bets. Therefore, it is entirely plausible to bet on different sports, and not just be limited to one event. A punter can still place a successful Yankee bet by betting on two horse racing events and two football matches. You can even utilise different types of football bets, like shots on target, over 2.5 goals and many more.

Stake Management: The nature of a Yankee bet means you are multiplying your stake by 11, as you are placing 11 bets of the same value. This means the punter has full awareness of how much you are staking on that bet, and that knowledge should provide you with an understanding of what you have to lose and gain. For example, if you were to place any of those 11 bets on their own, outside of a Yankee bet structure, you could be tempted to stake more on an individual bet.

Cons

Higher Cost: Naturally, a bet where you have to multiply your first stake by 11 will end up costing slightly more than your traditional accumulator. Whilst spending more on your bets is not recommended, the Yankee bet is more likely to provide some sort of return, meaning it is safer than one flat-out accumulator. You are not putting everything into one bet, but spreading it out does come with an additional cost.

Lower Returns with Fewer Wins: If only one or two of your selections win, then the return from a Yankee bet will be significantly lower than if all four of your picks were to come in. The payouts from the doubles or trebles may not see you make back the initial stake on the overall bet. This is the biggest issue with the Yankee bet, as even if you end up with some winnings, it may be less than what you originally staked. To avoid this, ensure you get good coverage when it comes to odds and increase your chances as much as you can.

Yankee Betting Tips

With a Yankee bet, it is important to research more than usual, as you will need to make four selections, and ensure the potential returns are good enough to be worthy for the bet.

Blindly selecting four picks would make it more risky, especially considering you are going to place 11 bets, meaning your initial stake is higher, so consider all aspects of your bet before selecting it. Picking from a sport you already follow could make this an easier task to undertake, as your knowledge will come into play.

If you are going for three lower-priced selections, try and make the fourth selection come with a slightly bigger price, to give you a chance of a better return if not all selections are successful.

It is important to be confident in your selections, meaning that the odds are important. While it is always tough to find the most valuable bets, it is vital to find the ones that will help you remain profitable even if you fail to win on all four selections.

Using a Yankee bet calculator is a key to this, as that will do a lot of the hard work for you when it comes to the returns, and these can be found through a quick search on whichever search engine you prefer. This will also help visualise the bet before making it and help with any last-minute plan changes.

It is also important to remember that you stand to lose 11 times more on a Yankee than you would on a normal accumulator, so it is important to have a staking plan in mind.

As with any type of betting, it is important to be responsible when gambling, and to never place more than you can afford to lose.

For more information on responsible gambling, please read our responsible gambling guide on First.com, and if you are struggling, it is important to use the options available and talk to someone.

How To Place A Yankee Bet

Step 1: Choose an online bookmaker from the First.com list of recommended bookmakers.

Step 2: Click the section which says sign up or join.

Step 3: Fill in your personal details as part of the registration process.

Step 4: Deposit an initial amount into your account, making sure to comply with any requirements to unlock any free bets.

Step 5: Add four selections to your bet slip and find the multiple options.

Step 6: Select Yankee from the list of multiple options and select your stake. Remember, this stake is for each leg of the Yankee, so 11 bets in total.